Wigwam (Chicago) facts for kids
The Wigwam was a special building in Chicago, Illinois, where important meetings and events took place. It was located near the Chicago River, at Lake Street and Market (which is now Wacker Drive). This spot was once home to Chicago's very first hotel, the Sauganash Hotel.
The Wigwam became famous because it was where Abraham Lincoln was chosen as the candidate for president by the Republican Party in 1860. He later became the U.S. President. The place where the Wigwam stood is now a Chicago Landmark, recognized on November 6, 2002. The name "Wigwam" was also used for other buildings that hosted big political meetings in Chicago, like the 1864 Democratic National Convention and the 1892 Democratic National Convention.
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The Wigwam Building
Chicago business leaders built the Wigwam to attract the 1860 Republican Convention. It was a temporary building, made entirely of wood. It was built very quickly, in just over a month. The Wigwam was huge and could hold between 10,000 and 12,000 people!
The building was used for political gatherings during the Convention and the American Civil War. After the war, it was used as a shopping area. The Wigwam was taken down sometime between 1867 and 1871.
After the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, another building called "Wigwam" was used. This one was a temporary home for the Chicago Board of Trade. The word "Wigwam" was often used for political campaign offices back then. It's also a Native American word for a "temporary shelter."
Wigwam History
Sauganash Hotel
Before the Wigwam, a man named Mark Beaubien built a tavern here in 1829–30. In 1831, he added more to it, creating Chicago's first hotel. It was called the Sauganash Hotel. The hotel was on the east bank of the Chicago River.
In 1833, the new Town of Chicago elected its first leaders at this hotel. The building even served as Chicago's first theater for a short time in 1837. The Sauganash Hotel was destroyed by a fire in 1851. Nine years later, the Wigwam was built in its place.
Big Political Meetings
Chicago has hosted more United States presidential nominating conventions than any other city. It has held 14 Republican and 11 Democratic conventions. The 1860 Republican National Convention was held at the Wigwam.
The 1864 Democratic National Convention was held in a different "Wigwam." This one was a round building with a roof, like an amphitheater. These were the first times each party held their national conventions in Chicago. The 1868 Republican National Convention also came to Chicago, but it was at the Crosby Opera House. In 1892, the 1892 Democratic National Convention met in another temporary "Wigwam" in Lake Park. This was when Grover Cleveland was nominated for president for the third time.
1860 Republican Convention
The 1860 Republican National Convention was very important. It was where Abraham Lincoln was chosen to run for president. His time as president was marked by the start of the American Civil War and the end of slavery.
During the convention, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes work and political planning. Lincoln stayed in his hometown of Springfield during the convention. But he received strong support and won the nomination to become the presidential candidate.
The Wigwam Site Today
Today, the corner where the Wigwam stood is at 191 N. Wacker Drive. This address is in the West Loop area of Chicago's Loop. A tall, 37-story office building, called 191 North Wacker, now stands there. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and built in 2002.
In 2017, the city put up new plaques at the site. These plaques were originally given by the Daughters of the American Revolution in the early 1900s. They remember Lincoln's nomination at the Wigwam and the Sauganash Hotel.
Images for kids
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191 N. Wacker
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Wigwam Building/Sauganash Hotel Chicago Landmark plaque
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Chicago Landmark plaque and 191 N. Wacker entrance
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A plaque dedicated by the Daughters of the American Revolution, marking the spot of the Wigwam. First unveiled in 1909, it was found in storage and rededicated in 2017. The backside is a plaque that marks the spot of the Sauganash Hotel.
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